Born into a farming family in southeastern Turkey, Kosen won global fame in September 2009 when Guinness World Records declared him the tallest man in the world. He was then 2.47 meters tall.

His growth has resulted from a tumor affecting his pituitary gland.

U.S. doctors treated Kosen’s tumor in August 2010 in the state of Virginia with a precisely targeted shot of extremely high frequency gamma rays, using a non-invasive radio surgical device known as a Gamma Knife.

Last year, doctors said Kosen has overcome acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder that caused him to keep growing well into adulthood.